logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2021
17m 28s

Where have the UK's lorry drivers gone?

Bbc World Service
About this episode

The UK's suffering a huge shortage of lorry drivers, but where have 100,000 drivers gone? The shortage is now having an impact on everything from chicken in restaurants, to mattresses in furniture shops, fuel at pumps and even beer in pubs. So what's going on? We hear from drivers, driving trainers, retailers and the wholesale industry and what's causing the shortfall and what can be done to solve it.

Picture credit: Getty Images

Up next
Today
Is Poland’s “economic miracle” for real?
Poland’s economy is expected to be the fastest-growing in Europe this year according to the European Union, with the spending power of its average worker on course to overtake that of Japan.So how, three and a half decades after the fall of communism, has it become a case study o ... Show More
16m 43s
Feb 6
The ex-ballerina betting big on prediction markets
In our first edition of Meet the Founders, we meet Luana Lopes Lara, creator of Kalshi, a prediction markets startup that allows users to trade on the outcome of real-world events - from inflation and interest rates to elections and geopolitics.Kalshi drew attention for showing Z ... Show More
17m 28s
Feb 5
Japan's economic crossroads
As Japanese people prepare to head to the polls, economic concerns are back at the centre of public life.We explore how inflation, wages, demographics and geopolitics are shaping expectations, and whether the country can finally move beyond the "lost decades".To get in touch with ... Show More
17m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2021
What's the truth behind the UK's fuel crisis?
A severe shortage of truck drivers to bring petrol to the pumps in the United Kingdom means one of world's richest nations is stuck in a fuel crisis.    Is Brexit to blame? And has the issue exposed wider problems within the trucking industry? Join host Imran Khan.  With guests, ... Show More
21m 48s
Sep 2021
Covid, HGV driver shortages and protest costs
English Covid restrictions were lifted in July. Back then, some predicted that there could be as many as 6,000 hospital admissions a day by the following month. So, what happened?The Metropolitan Police says it’s spent £50 million on policing Extinction Rebellion since 2019. They ... Show More
28m 51s
Nov 2022
Chip shortages hit car production
Jaguar Land Rover has announced it will reduce output temporarily as the firm struggles to stock up on microchips. We explore why the shortage is lasting so long and its impact on the car making industry. We also discuss the latest from Black Friday, with Amazon workers striking ... Show More
27m 30s
Sep 2021
The case of the disappearing truckers
<p>In today's episode for September 29th 2021, we talk about why truck drivers are abandoning their profession altogether and how it's precipitating a crisis in the UK</p> 
4m 16s
Feb 2024
Gig workers go on strike
Takeaway delivery drivers are planning to strike on Valentine's Day to demand better pay and improved working conditions.The action, impacting four food apps including Deliveroo and Uber Eats, is thought to involve as many as 3,000 drivers and riders. Also, in the programme, we w ... Show More
49m 52s
Jan 2024
Another bump in the road?
Will Bain hears from businesses affected by shipping delays in the Red Sea. Plus, how much did damage to vehicles from potholes cost drivers in 2023? 
53m 33s
Aug 2023
US trucking giant Yellow files for bankruptcy
US trucking company Yellow has filed for bankruptcy and will be closing down. The company had received a $700mn Covid-19 relief loan from the Trump administration during the summer of 2020. So will the loan be repaid? And what does it mean for the 30,000 workers expected to lose ... Show More
26m 28s
Aug 2021
154. Cambridge IELTS 16 | Do the Advantages of Driverless Vehicles Outweigh the Disadvantages?
In the future all cars, buses and trucks will be driverless. The only people travelling inside these vehicles will be passengers. Do you think the advantages of driverless vehicles outweigh the disadvantages?   self-driving cars autonomous cars   employment losses job losses   tr ... Show More
4m 32s